Meet the Staff
At Dogs At Play you can be sure your dog is being cared for by the most knowledgable staff with the most experience of any doggie daycare in the area. All staff members are certified in Pet First Aid and CPR.
Whitney Doremus, owner of Dogs At Play and SuperDogs Positive Pet Dog Training
Whitney Doremus began teaching dog obedience classes while working at Petsmart in Gainesville, FL in 1997. A desire to learn more brought her to renowned trainer, Dee ZurBurg and her training school Class Act For Dogs. Whitney spent a year working closely and learning from Dee while teaching classes, pet sitting, and consulting in private lessons. In January of 1999 Whitney moved to Wilmington where she took a position at Dogtrain, Inc. Over the three years Whitney taught for Dogtrain she also began work on opening a doggie daycare. Dogs At Play was opened in October of 2001. Since then Whitney has continued teaching through Dogs At Play and her new training program, SuperDogs Positive Pet Dog Training.
Whitney is active with the Association of Pet Dog Trainers and an affiliate member of the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants. In September of 2003 Whitney became a Certified Pet Dog Trainer. Whitney writes the Oh Behave! Column for Paw Prints Magazine and has been a guest writer for various dog-related magazines. She is a member of the New Hanover County Animal Control Advisory Board and sat as the Chairman for the year of 2009. She spent three as a panel member for the Dangerous Dog hearings and continues to fill in as needed. From 2007-2009 Whitney focused much of her passion and energy to helping the Positive Partners Prison Program while serving as the training coordinator. She attends dog behavior seminars throughout the year to ensure up-to-date information regarding positive pet dog training and dog behavior. More than anything, Whitney loves to help people and their dogs get the best relationship possible.
Cathy Kalista, General Manager since 2002
Cathy Kalista has been involved in the dog world since she could walk. Born into it, she has shown everything from Bearded Collies to Miniature Poodles. Cathy has put dozens of AKC Championship titles on many different breeds. She is a member of the Hanover Kennel Club as well as the Central Carolina Dachshund Club. She currently lives with six Standard Longhaired Dachshunds, all of whom have earned their AKC Champion titles and one who also boasts an Easthdog Title and her Field Championship. Cathy spends most of her weekends showing dogs in conformation and attending earthdog trials. She is currently working toward a second Field Championship.
Cathy helped fund her college education by petsitting in the Wilmington area. Her knowledge of dog behavior and health put her services in high demand. As the manager of Pet Food City for several years Cathy advised countless dog owners on nutrition, health, and the best products for their canine kids. In June of 2002 Cathy began working with Dogs At Play. She proved her skills with the dogs and their owners very quickly. Within months she took the position of General Manager. Over the years Cathy’s dog experience has proved invaluable.
J.P. Doney, since 2005
J.P. began his career with Dogs At Play in August of 2005. At the time he was a student at UNCW working toward a degree in education. He graduated in May of 2008 then decided to work with Dogs At Play full-time. Over the years J.P. has proved that his calm nature and endless patience makes him a perfect fit for all our Dogs At Play.
J.P. lives with Toby, a purebred mix who struggles with his weight. Toby often greets our visitors in the front office.
Lacie Nyenhuis, since 2006
Lacie joined us in June of 2006. She worked part-time for us as well as a veterinary clinic while also attending UNCW. In May of 2007 Lacie graduated with a degree in Biology and also accepted a full-time position with Dogs At Play. Lacie has a passion for pet care and a love of dogs in particular.
Lacie lives with Marley, a Heinz 57 that she adopted in 2006. Marley is everyone's buddy at Dogs At Play and is always particularly kind to the "new kids".